Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Heard my dog growl for the first time

34 replies

GarnetsandRubies · 04/09/2021 12:02

2 year old border collie. Such a loving, gentle soul, a really good natured dog. Last night we were out walking on a quiet country road, somewhere we walk very regularly, he knows the route well. A white car was parked at the side of the road and as we got close, my dog went all stiff and started growling. His eyes were fixed on the car. This is the first time I've heard him growl in his whole life! And then he started barking between growls. As we moved past the car he wouldn't take his eyes off it, and he continued to do a low growl. As soon as we were a few metres past it he went back to normal. We see cars all the time both parked and moving and he's never had an issue! He's never been a barker either so this has worried me slightly, as to why he would do this out of the blue.

Any ideas?

OP posts:

Original poster

GarnetsandRubies · 04/09/2021 12:04

Also we walked past other parked cars after this and he didn't bat an eyelid

OP posts:

CaddieDawg · 04/09/2021 12:07

Was there anyone in the car or around? Sounds like your dog picked up a scent or something spooked him that made him defensive? A cat or fox under the car or something? I wouldn't worry too much unless it becomes a regular thing

Turquoisesol · 04/09/2021 12:12

Agree with caddiedawg I think it is normal for them to get spooked by something occasionally. Sometimes things we can’t see. I am surprised you got to 2 years without hearing any growl.

Turquoisesol · 04/09/2021 12:14

We past a car the other day on a walk where we don’t normally see a car. It is down a farmers track and car parked up behind a shrub and two people got out. I could tell my dog was a little spooked / nervous as it was unexpected by I did manage to usher her past ok.

Hellocatshome · 04/09/2021 12:14

Was there someone sat in the car? Or a dog in the car? Maybe an animal under the car? I wouldn't worry unless ky becomes a regular thing even then as long as its not over the top I.e not being able to walk anywhere near cars then I wouldn't worry. My dog sometimes does exactly what you have described to wheelie bins other times he walks past them without issue.

Original poster

GarnetsandRubies · 04/09/2021 12:35

No body in the car, no dogs in the car or any animals around that I could see

Thanks for the reassurance!

OP posts:

icedcoffees · 04/09/2021 12:37

It's more unusual imo that this has never happened before.

It's totally normal for dogs to get a bit spooked by things - mine hates roadworks signs for some unknown reason! He also got really spooked by some tarpaulin last week, even though we have some in our garden pretty much permanently, lol.

I really wouldn't worry. A growl is a totally normal way of them saying they're a bit scared or uncomfortable. I suspect something smelt funny (maybe weed?) or there was someone in the car who freaked him out.

Original poster

GarnetsandRubies · 04/09/2021 12:42

It's more unusual imo that this has never happened before

He's never been a vocal dog and he is so chilled out so it came as a shock to see him like that

DP jokes that if ddog was any more laid back he'd be horizontal

OP posts:

icedcoffees · 04/09/2021 12:47

Please don't be too worried - it's pretty normal for dogs to get spooked about things. I don't really know any dogs who are NEVER spooked, to be quite honest.

Growling is just their way of saying that something is making them uncomfortable :)

Aria20 · 04/09/2021 13:26

My pup did this the other week. We were walking a normal route to the park but a white van was parked on the corner of the road we cross and two men were loading some stuff into it. Pup froze and would not walk past the men or the van, I had to pick her up to go past and then put her down again and she looked back towards them fearfully! Dogs can definitely sense things we can't. She also freezes and growls when she smells weed if we walk past anyone/anywhere that smells of it lol.

Brollypackedforscottishholiday · 04/09/2021 13:59

Drugs!!
Or a picnic in the boot he knew he wasn't getting!!
It is odd when you hear them that first time!! We have only heard our dhusky 7 howl twice!! Yet apparently they are very vocal. Our certainly isn't!! She does an odd warble if we see other huskies but not at any other sort of ddog!

Original poster

GarnetsandRubies · 04/09/2021 14:17

Or a picnic in the boot he knew he wasn't getting

Hahahaha yes I can imagine him being very upset about this!

OP posts:

liveforsummer · 04/09/2021 14:19

There was probably a fox or cat under the car that you couldn't see. Or even a strange shadow. My JRT is no stranger to growling for all manner of reasons but these are the most common

FAQs · 04/09/2021 14:24

My dog has been growling at a piece of cheese which she can’t reach for the last 20 minutes.

But she does growl at one man in the village on her walk, he hasn’t done anything as far as we know she has just taken a dislike to him, but embarrassing really but they do get spooked.

elizabethdraper · 04/09/2021 14:30

My terrier growled and barked at my handbag for about 20 mins. I had to move from the room.

It wasn't a new bag, years oldd always in use.
Dogs are just weird

SandyBayley · 04/09/2021 14:54

Our quite stupid terrier is very attuned to drugs and general criminality. It's the one thing he can reliably do, growl at bad behaviour by humans.

Brollypackedforscottishholiday · 04/09/2021 14:56

Once my dm left sausages defrosting on the bench. Came home and ddog was camped out nose pointing upwards..
No way would they still be there in my house now!!

Shamsa03 · 04/09/2021 16:42

He doesn't normally do it so I'd say he was protecting you just because you didn't see anything doesn't mean your dog didn't.

Shamsa03 · 04/09/2021 16:42

When dogs don't normally do this make sure you listen to them

FictionalCharacter · 04/09/2021 16:51

@Shamsa03

When dogs don't normally do this make sure you listen to them

This!

LadyCatStark · 04/09/2021 16:54

Oh god, you’re going to find out on the news that there’s a body in the boot or something!

TakeMeBackTo1980 · 04/09/2021 18:30

Oh god don't say that!!!! can you imagine!

StillMedusa · 04/09/2021 19:51

Mine growls quite a lot. At first it worried me but then I realised a) it's her voice b) sometimes it's because she's scared (strange men in hoddies is a big one) and sometimes it's because she's playing. She's quite a nervous dog and I'm aware of most of her 'scared growl' triggers and just avoid/ move away.
Her play growl with her best mate is terrifying to the uninitiated but the two adore each other and are noisy barking chasing beasties.

Only once has she really made me think !!??? when she growled at a man.. I was lone walking her at dusk and he was following me and he made me feel uneasy. That one time she ran up and barked and growled until he turned the other direction and I truly think she sensed something bad.

Brollypackedforscottishholiday · 04/09/2021 20:28

We took in a working lurcher.. Was 2 years before we heard her bark! She absolutely pooped herself and ran away!

Mollymalone123 · 04/09/2021 20:40

My dog has point blank refused a few times to go into the woods where we always go- I always listen to him!

Flip

1 2

Swipe left for the next trending thread